Lecture V
Education in the Light of Spiritual Science
Cologne 1st December, 1906
When the
spiritual scientific movement began its activity some thirty
years ago, its aim was not to satisfy curiosity about the
spiritual worlds, but to make spiritual knowledge available
to a wider public, and provide insight that will help to
solve not only spiritual but also everyday practical
problems. One such problem is the subject of today's lecture.
It belongs to everyday life and must be of interest to
everyone. Knowledge of human nature and problems of education
are intimately connected. No aspect of social life can
benefit more from spiritual research than education, because
it is possible to provide practical guidelines in this realm
through supersensible knowledge.
In order to
deal with this subject we must look once more at the nature
of human beings. That aspect of their being that is grasped
by the intellect is for spiritual science only part of their
nature. The physical, bodily aspect that we can see and touch
a person has in common with the rest of the natural world.
The spiritual investigator's research is not based on
speculation, but on what is discovered through the higher
sense of clairvoyant sight. This reveals the ether body as
the second member of a person's being. It is a spiritual
organism that is considerably more delicate and refined than
the physical body. It has nothing to do with physical ether,
and is best described as a sum of forces or currents of
energy rather than as substance.
The ether body
is the architect of the physical body. The latter has
crystallized out of the ether body much as ice crystallizes
out of water. We must therefore regard everything that
constitutes the physical aspect of a person's being as having
evolved out of the ether body. Human being's have this member
in common with all beings endowed with life, that is, with
the vegetable and animal kingdoms. In shape and size the
ether body coincides with the physical body except for the
lower part, which differs in shape from the physical. In
animals the ether body extends far beyond the physical. For
someone who has developed the spiritual faculties that
slumber in every human being, there is nothing fantastic
about this description of the ether body, just as it is not
fantastic for a person who can see to describe colors to a
blind person as blue or red.
The third
member of a person's being, the astral body, is the bearer of
all kinds of passions, lower as well as higher, and also of
joys and sorrows, pleasure and pair, cravings and desires.
Our ordinary thoughts and will-impulses are also contained in
the astral body. Like the ether body, it becomes visible when
the higher senses are developed. The astral body permeates
the physical and ether bodies and surrounds humans like a
kind of cloud. We have it in common with the animal kingdom;
it is in continuous movement, mirroring every shade of
feeling. But why the name “astral?”
The physical
substances of which the physical body is composed connect it
with the whole earth; in like manner is the astral body
connected with the world of stars. The forces that permeate
it and condition a person's destiny and character were given
the name “astral” by those who were able to look
deeply into their mysterious connection with the astral world
that surrounds the earth.
The fourth
member of a person's being, the power that enables him or her
to say “I,” makes the human being the crown of
creation. This name can only be applied to himself; it
expresses the fact that what speaks is the soul's primordial
divine spark. The designations of everything else we share
with others; they can reach a person's ear from outside, but
not the name that refers to what is god-like in each
individual human soul. That is why in Hebrew esoteric schools
it was called the “inexpressible name of God —
Jahve,” the “I am the I am.” Even the
priest could utter it only with a shudder. This “I am
the I am” the soul ascribes to itself.
The human
physical body is related to the mineral kingdom, the ether
body to the vegetable kingdom and the astral body to the
animal kingdom. The “I” humans have in common
with no other earthly being; the “I” makes a
person the crown of creation. This fourfold entity has always
been known in esoteric schools as the “quaternity of
man's nature.”
These four
bodies develop in each individual in a particular way from
childhood till old age. That is why, if we are to understand
a person, we must always consider each human being
individually. A person's characteristics are indicated
already in the embryo. However, humans are not isolated
beings; they develop within a certain environment, and can
thrive only when surrounded by all the beings of the
universe. During embryonic life they must be enveloped by the
maternal organism, from which they become independent only
when a certain stage of maturity is reached. During further
development, the child goes through more events of a similar
nature. Just as the physical body while still at the
embryonic stage must be enveloped by the maternal organism,
so is it surrounded after birth by spiritual sheaths related
to spiritual realms. The child is enveloped by an etheric and
an astral sheath; the child reposes in them as he did in the
womb before birth.
At the time of
the change of teeth an etheric covering loosens itself from
the ether body, as did the physical covering at physical
birth. That means that the ether body is born and becomes
free in all directions. Up to then an entity of like nature
to itself was attached to it, from which spiritual currents
flowed through it as physical currents flowed from the
maternal covering through the child before birth. Thus, the
child is born for a second time when the ether body is born.
Meanwhile the astral body is still surrounded by its
protective sheath, a covering that strengthens and
invigorates it up to the time of puberty. Then that too
withdraws; the birth of the astral body takes place; and the
child is born for the third time.
The fact that a
threefold birth takes place indicates that the three entities
must be considered separately. While it is impossible for
external light to reach and harm the eyes of the unborn
child, it is not impossible, but certainly highly damaging to
the soul, if influences foreign to it are brought to bear on
the ether body before it has become completely independent.
The same applies to the astral body before puberty. We
should, according to spiritual science, avoid all education
and training before the change of teeth, except such that
have a bearing on the child's physical body; we should in
fact influence the ether body as little as we influence the
child's physical body before it is born. However, just as the
mother must be cared for, because her health influences the
development of the embryo, so one should now respect the
inviolability of the ether body for the sake of the child's
healthy development. This is so important because before the
change of teeth only the physical body is ready to be
influenced by the external world; all training should
therefore be restricted to what concerns the physical body.
Any external influence of the ether body during this period
is a violation of laws according to which human beings
develop.
The human ether
body is different from that of the plant world because in a
person it becomes the bearer of his enduring traits such as
habit, character, conscience and memory, and also
temperament. The astral body is the seat of the life of
feelings already mentioned, and also of the ability to
discern, to judge.
These facts
indicate when it becomes right to exert influence on the
natural tendencies. In the period up to the seventh year, the
child's bodily faculties develop; they become independent and
self-contained. The same applies between the seventh and the
fourteenth years to habits, memory, temperament and so on;
between the fourteenth and the twentieth or twenty-second
years is the time when the faculty of the critical intellect
develops, and an independent relation to the surrounding
world is attained. All these things indicate that different
principles of education are required in the various life
periods. Special care must be taken up to the seventh year
with everything that affects the physical body. This
encompasses a great many things. It is a time when all the
essential physical organs are gradually developing and the
effect on the child's senses is of immense importance. It
matters greatly what it sees and hears and generally absorbs.
The faculty most prominent at this time is imitation. The
Greek philosopher Aristotle
[
Aristotle (384–322 B.C.) was a
Greek philosopher and one of the most influential thinkers of his time.
]
remarked that human beings
are the most imitative of all animals. This is especially
true of the child before the change of teeth. Everything is
imitated during this time, and as whatever enters the child
through its senses as light and sound works formatively on
the organs, it is of utmost importance that what surrounds
the child should act beneficially.
At this age
nothing is achieved by admonition; commands and prohibitions
have no effect whatever. But of the greatest significance is
the example. What the child sees, what happens around him, he
feels must be imitated. For instance: the parents of a
well-behaved child were astonished to discover that he had
taken money from a cashbox; greatly disturbed, they thought
the child had inclinations to steal. Questioning brought to
light that the child had simply imitated what he had seen his
parents do every day.
It is important
that the examples the child sees and imitates are of a kind
that awaken its inner forces. Exhortations have no effect,
but the way a person behaves in the child's presence matters
greatly. It is far more important to refrain from doing what
the child is not permitted to do than to forbid the child to
imitate it.
Thus, it is
vital that during these years the educator is an exemplary
example, that he or she only does what is worthy of
imitation. Education should consist of example and imitation.
The truth of this is recognized when insight is attained into
the nature of human beings and confirmed by the results of
education based upon it. Thus, because the ability to
understand what things mean is a faculty of the ether body,
the child should not learn the significance of the letters of
the alphabet before the change of teeth; before then, he or
she should do no more than trace their form with paint.
Spiritual
research makes all these subtleties understandable and throws
light even on details of what should be done. Everything the
child perceives, also in a moral sense, acts on the formation
of its physical organs. It makes a difference whether the
child is surrounded by pain and sorrow or happiness and joy.
Happiness and joy build sound organs, and lay the foundation
for future health. The opposite can create a disposition
towards illness. Everything that surrounds the child should
breathe an atmosphere of happiness and joy, even down to
objects and colors of clothing and wallpaper. The educator
must ensure that it does so, while also taking into account
the child's particular disposition.
If a child is
inclined to be too earnest and too quiet, it will benefit
from having in its surroundings rather sombre, bluish,
greenish colors, while the lively, too active child should
have yellow, reddish colors. This may seem like a
contradiction, but the fact is that through its inherent
nature the sense of sight calls up the opposite colors. The
bluish shades have an invigorating effect, while in the
lively child the yellow-reddish shades call up the opposite
colors.
Thus, you see
that spiritual investigation throws light even on practical
details. The developing organs must be treated in ways that
promote their health and inner forces. The child should not
be given toys that are too finished and perfect, such as
building blocks or perfect dolls. A doll made out of an old
table napkin on which eyes, nose and mouth are indicated is
far better. Every child will see such a homemade doll as a
lady attired in beautiful finery. Why? Because it stirs its
imagination, and that induces movement in the inner organs
and produces in the child a feeling of well-being. Notice in
what a lively and interested manner such a child plays,
throwing itself body and soul into what the imagination
conjures up, while the child with the perfect doll just sits,
unexcited and unamused. It has no possibility to add anything
through imagination, so its inner organs are condemned to
remain inactive. The child has an extraordinarily sound
instinct for what is good for it, as long as only the
physical body has become free to interact with the external
world, and as long as it is in the process of development.
The child will indicate what is beneficial for himself.
However, if from early on this instinct is disregarded, it
will disappear. Education should be based on happiness, on
joy and the child's natural cravings. To practice asceticism
at this age would be synonymous with undermining its healthy
development.
When the child
approaches the seventh year and the milk teeth are gradually
being replaced, the covering of the ether body loosens and it
becomes free, as did the physical body at physical birth. Now
the educator must bring to bear everything that will further
the development of the ether body. However, the teacher must
guard against placing too much emphasis on developing the
child's reason and intellect. Between the seventh and twelfth
years, it is mainly a question of authority, confidence,
trust and reverence. Character and habit are special
qualities of the ether body and must be fostered; but it is
harmful to exert any influence on the reasoning faculty
before puberty.
The development
of the ether body occurs in the period from the seventh to
the sixteenth year (in girls to the fourteenth). It is
important for the rest of a person's life that during this
period feelings of respect and veneration are fostered. Such
feelings can be awakened in the following way: by means of
information and narration, the lives of significant people
are depicted to the child, not only from history, but from
the child's own circle, perhaps that of a revered relative.
Awe and reverence are awakened in the child, which forbid him
to harbor any critical thoughts or opposition against the
venerated person. The child lives in solemn expectation of
the moment he will be permitted to meet this person. At last
the day arrives and the child stands before the door filled
with awe and veneration; he turns the handle, enters the room
that for him, is a holy place. Such moments of veneration
become forces of strength in later life. It is immensely
important that the educator, the teacher, is at this time a
respected authority for the child. A child's faith and
confidence must be awakened, not in axioms, but in human
beings.
People around
the child with whom he has contact must be his ideals; the
child must also choose such ideals from history and
literature: "Everyone must choose the hero whose path to
Olympus he will follow," is a true saying. The materialistic
view that opposes authority and undervalues respect and
reverence is utterly wrong. It regards the child as being
already self-reliant, but its healthy development is impaired
if demands are made upon the reasoning faculty before the
astral body is born. What is important at this time is that
memory is developed. This is best done in purely mechanical
fashion. However, calculators should not be used; tables of
multiplication, poems and so on should be committed to memory
in quite a parrot fashion. It is simply materialistic
prejudice that maintains that at this age such things should
be inwardly felt and understood.
In the old days
educators knew better. At the ages between one and seven all
kinds of songs were sung to the children, like the good old
nursery rhymes and children's songs. What mattered was not
sense and meaning but sound; the children were made aware of
harmony and consonance; we often find words inserted purely
for the sake of their sound. Often the rhymes were
meaningless. For example: “Fly beetle fly, your father
is away; your mother is in Pommerland, Pommerland, fly beetle
fly.” Incidentally, in the idiom of children
“Pommerland” meant motherland. The expression
stemmed from a time when it was still believed that human
beings were spiritual beings and had come down to earth from
a spiritual world. Pommerland was the Land of spiritual
origin. Yet it was not the meaning in such rhymes that was
important, but the sound; hence, the many children's songs
had no particular sense.
This is the age
when memory, habit and character must be established, and
this is achieved through authority. If the foundation of
these traits is not laid during this period, it will result
in behavioral shortcomings later. Just because axioms and
rules of conduct have no place in education until the astral
body is born, it is important that the pre-puberty child, if
he is to be properly educated, can Look up to authority. The
child is able to sense a person's innermost being, and that
is what it reveres in those with authority. Whatever flows
from the educator to the child forms and develops conscience,
character and even the temperament — its lasting
disposition. During these years allegories and symbols act
formatively on the ether body of the child because they make
manifest the world-spirit. Fairy tales, legends and
descriptions of heroes are a true blessing.
During this
period, the ether body must receive as much care as the
physical body. During the earlier period it was happiness and
joy that influenced the forming of the Organs; from seven to
fourteen (in this case boys to sixteen), the emphasis must be
on everything that promotes feelings of health and vigor.
Hence, the value of gymnastics. However, the desired effect
will not be attained if the instructor aims at movements that
solely benefit the physical body. It is important that the
teacher be able to intuitively enter into how the child
inwardly senses himself, and in this way to know which
movements will promote inner sensations of health, strength,
well-being, and pleasure in the bodily constitution. Only
when gymnastic exercises induce feelings of growing strength
are they of real value. Not only the external aspect of the
bodily nature benefits from correct gymnastic exercises, but
also the way a person inwardly experiences the self.
Everything
artistic has a strong influence on the ether, as well as the
astral body. Music of excellence, both vocal and
instrumental, is particularly important, especially for the
ether body. And there should be many objects of true artistic
beauty in the child's environment.
Most important
of all is religious instruction. Images of things
supersensible are deeply imprinted in the ether body. What is
important here is not the pupil's ability to have an opinion
about religious faith, but that he receives descriptions of
the supersensible, of what extends beyond the temporal. All
religious subjects must be presented pictorially.
Great care must
be taken that what is taught is brought to life. Much is
spoiled in the child if it is burdened with too much that is
dull and lifeless. What is taught in a lively interesting
manner benefits the child's ether body. There should be much
activity and doing; this has a quickening effect on the
spirit. That is true also when it comes to play. The old kind
of picture books have a stimulating effect because they
contain figures that can be pulled by strings and suggest
movement and inner life. Nothing has a more deadening effect
on the child's spirit than putting together and fixing some
structure, using finished geometrical shapes. That is why
building blocks should not be used; the child should create
everything from the beginning and learn to bring to life what
he forms out of the lifeless. Our materialistic age
extinguishes life through mass-produced lifeless objects.
Much dies in the young developing brain when the child has to
do meaningless things like, for example, braiding. Talents
are stifled and much that is unhealthy in our modern society
can be traced back to the nursery. Inartistic lifeless toys
do not foster trust in spiritual life. A fundamental
connection exists between today's lack of religious belief
and the way young children are taught.
Once puberty is
reached, the astral covering falls away; the astral body
becomes independent. With the awakening feelings for the
opposite sex, the ability to judge, to form personal opinion,
also awakens. Only now should appeal be made to the reasoning
faculty, to the approval or disapproval of the critical
intellect. That is not to say that the moment the human being
has reached this age he is capable of forming independent
judgment, let alone do so earlier. It is absurd for such
young people to judge issues or to have a say in cultural
life. A young person under the age of twenty has an as yet
undeveloped astral body, and can no more make sound judgments
than a baby still in the womb can hear or see. Each life
period requires a corresponding influence. In the first, it
is a model to imitate; in the second an authority to emulate;
the third requires rules of conduct, principles, and axioms.
What is of utmost significance for the young person at this
time is the teacher, the personality that will guide the
student's eagerness for learning and his desire for
independence in the right directions.
Thus, the
spiritual scientific world conception provides an abundance
of basic principles that help the teacher's task of
developing and educating the young generations. We have shown
that spiritual science is applicable to everyday life and
capable of practical intervention in important issues. We
must understand all the members of the human being, and the
way they are interrelated in order to know when to influence
which member in a truly beneficial way. The embryo will be
affected if the expectant mother is not properly nourished;
for its sake the mother must be cared for. Similarly, what
later still surrounds and protects the child must also be
cared for, as that in turn will benefit the child. This holds
good on both physical and spiritual levels. Thus, as long as
the child still slumbers as if within an etheric womb and is
still rooted in the astral covering, it matters greatly what
happens in the environment. The child is affected by every
thought, every feeling, every sentiment motivating those
around him, even if not expressed. Here a person cannot
maintain that one's thoughts and feelings do not matter as
long as nothing is said.
Even in the
innermost recesses of their hearts, those around the child
cannot permit themselves ignoble thoughts or feelings. Words
affect only the external senses, whereas thoughts and
feelings reach the protecting sheaths of the ether and astral
bodies and pass over to the child. Therefore, as long as
these protective coverings envelop the child, they must be
cared for. Impure thoughts and passions harm them just as
unsuitable substances harm the mother's body.
Thus, even
subtle aspects are illumined by spiritual science. Through
knowledge of the human being the educator gains the insight
needed. Spiritual science does not aim to persuade; it is not
a theory, it is practical knowledge applicable to life. Its
effect is beneficial, for it makes human beings healthier
both physically and spiritually. It provides effective truth
that must flow into every aspect of life. There is no better
way for spiritual science to serve humanity than fostering
social impulses in the young during the formative years. What
takes place in human beings during the time they grow up and
mature is one of life's greatest riddles; those who find
practical solutions will prove true educators.
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